Best known for : Known as the “Cradle of Mankind” the Olduvai Gorge was made famous by the hominid fossil discoveries of Dr Louis Leakey and his wife Mary Leakey. 28 years after they began searching for human remains, they found the skull and jaw of an ancient species of man that became extinct 1.75 million years ago. Also see Archaeology below.

Location : Situated in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania, Olduvai Gorge is another feature of the East African Great Rift Valley.

Size : The Gorge has very steep sides that are nearly 90 metres deep and stretch for approximately 35 kilometres.

Archaeology : Examples of three species of hominids have been found at Olduvai, including: Australopithecus Boisei, Homo Habilis, and Homo Erectus. Two of the oldest stone tool traditions, Oldowan and Acheulian, were also found here and have played an important part in understanding human evolution. This discovery was made possible by: volcanic action, shifting of the faults, and erosion processes in this area that have exposed geological strata in the Gorge that date back to between 1,800,000 and 600,00 years ago.

Activities : There is a small informative museum at the visitor centre. Lecture tours are also offered. Ngorongoro Crater is located fairly close by.